Akshar
Trust
The Akshar Trust does not see disability as a barrier to a child’s right to education.
The charity, which was founded in 1988, addresses the need to support children with hearing impairments in India. Based in Vadodara, Gujarat, it runs a school for 155 children providing a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages children to realise their academic potential.
Students are welcomed from all backgrounds and ages. They work closely with specially trained teachers who help them learn with speech training and adapted textbooks. Every school place is entirely subsidised, meaning that even those from the poorest backgrounds can access the academic opportunities they deserve.
The Akshar Trust also gives support to the families of hearing-impaired children and provides training for teachers to teach pupils at the school. Its research into the field of education for the hearing impaired has sourced innovative ways to improve their learning experience.
The Akshar Trust has changed the lives of children with a hearing disability in a country where less than 35% of deaf children are enrolled in school.
It was from a small village near Vadodara that Suleman Verjee left India for East Africa in 1872. With the Verjee family’s roots in Gujarat, The Rumi Foundation is keen to support projects in this area.
